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Altered and constructed ceramic forms Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Gerring, Robert Lyle, 1934- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 27/01/2021 07:47:13 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/347549

Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

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Page 1: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

Altered and constructed ceramic forms

Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic)

Authors Gerring, Robert Lyle, 1934-

Publisher The University of Arizona.

Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this materialis made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona.Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such aspublic display or performance) of protected items is prohibitedexcept with permission of the author.

Download date 27/01/2021 07:47:13

Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/347549

Page 2: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

A L T E R E D AND C O N S T R U C T E D CERAM IC FO RM S

by

R o b e r t L. G e r r in g

A n E s s a y S u b m it te d in L ie u of T h e s i s To th e F a c u l ty of the

D E P A R T M E N T O F A R T

In P a r t i a l F u l f i l lm e n t of th e R e q u i r e m e n t s F o r th e D e g r e e of

M A S T E R O F F IN E ARTS

In th e G ra d u a te C o lleg e

T H E UNIVERSITY O F ARIZONA

Page 3: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

S T A T E M E N T BY A U T H O R

T h is e s s a y h a s b een s u b m i t te d in p a r t i a l fu l f i l lm e n t of r e q u i r e m e n t s fo r an a d v a n c e d d e g r e e a t T he U n iv e rs i ty of A r iz o n a an d is d e p o s i te d in the U n iv e r s i ty L i b r a r y to be m a d e a v a i la b le to b o r r o w e r s u n d e r r u l e s of the L i b r a r y .

B r ie f q u o ta t io n s f r o m th is e s s a y a r e a l lo w a b le w ith o u t s p e c ia l p e r m is s i o n , p ro v id e d th a t a c c u r a t e a c k n o w le d g m e n t of s o u r c e i s m a d e . R e q u e s t s fo r p e r m i s s i o n fo r e x te n d e d q u o ta t io n f r o m o r r e p r o d u c t io n of th is m a n u s c r i p t in w ho le o r in p a r t m ay be g r a n te d by the h e a d of th e m a jo r d e p a r tm e n t o r the D ean of the G ra d u a te C o lleg e w hen in h is ju d g m e n t the p r o p o s e d u se of the m a t e r i a l i s in the i n t e r e s t s of s c h o la r s h ip . In a l l o th e r i n s t a n c e s , h o w e v e r , p e r m i s s i o n m u s t be o b ta in e d f r o m th e a u th o r .

SIGNED: * / - XYt

A P P R O V A L BY P R O J E C T SU PER V ISO R

T h is e s s a y h a s b e en a p p ro v e d on the da te show n below:

A s s o c ia t e P r o f e s s o r of A r tM A U R IC E K. GROSSMAN D ate

Page 4: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

LIST O F IL LU ST R A T IO N S

F ig u r e

L V oyage

2o C ook ie J a r

3o W e e d P o t

■4. H ead R e s t

5. - S to n e w a re B o tt le

6 0 . S tudy N u m b e r 2

7. . S lab an d W hee l

8 0 , R a k u

9° S tudy N u m b e r 1

■10. S q u a re C i r c le

Page 5: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

T he f r e e s p i r i t i s the s p i r i t of Joy . It d e l ig h ts to c r e a t e in b eau ty . It i s u n a f ra id , i t know s no f e a r . . It d e c l a r e s the e a r t h to be i t s h o m e , and th e f r a g r a n c e of e a r t h to be i t s i n s p i r a t i o n .

To be t r u l y f r e e a n d u n in h ib i te d in an a p p r o a c h to a r t , o r to

life , i s a d if f icu l t a im to a c h ie v e . T h e r e a r e t i m e s w h en i t s e e m s th a t

p r o g r e s s c a n be m a d e only by d e s t r u c t i o n of a f o r m o r a n id e a . A t s u c h

t im e s i t i s d if f ic u l t to th ro w out o ld w a y s and s t a r t f r o m the beg in n in g

to w a rd a new go a l. . B ut new g o a ls , new f o r m s an d ch an g in g c o n ce p ts

a r e , o r sh o u ld be, a p a r t of e v e r y d a y l i f e . . I r e m e m b e r v e r y c l e a r l y

h e s i t a t in g b e fo re th e f i r s t c y l in d e r th a t I cu t a p a r t a n d r e a s s e m b l e d .

T h is h e s i t a t io n w as a type of f e a r of th e unknown; a f e a r th a t w h a t one

d i s c o v e r s can n o t be u n d e r s to o d a n d in c o r p o r a t e d in to a m e a n in g fu l

e x p r e s s io n of f o r m . . To be " f r e e " in c o n c e p t of a p p r o a c h i s in a s e n s e

q u ite p a r a d o x ic a l b e c a u s e th e r e a r e a lw a y s p a s t t r a d i t io n s ; so lu t io n s .

th a t o th e r a r t i s t s h a v e d i s c o v e r e d a n d le f t a s a h e r i t a g e a s w e l l a s o n e ’s

own p r e v io u s s o lu t io n s . . I c an s e e w h a t th e y d i s c o v e r e d a n d s t a t e d to

e x p r e s s t h e i r c o n c e p ts .o f fo r m an d s p a c e , but I f e e l th a t I m u s t d i s ­

c o v e r a n d so lv e m y own f o r m - s p a c e p r o b le m s w ith m y own in tu i t io n

a n d i n t e l l e c t a s a gu ide . I s im p ly m u s t a llow th a t p a r t of m e to s p e a k

w h ich d e m a n d s th a t I go to c la y in th e f i r s t p la c e . T h is i s th e n e e d

L o u is H. S u ll ivan , T he A u to b io g ra p h y of a n Id e a (New Y o rk : D o v e r P u b l i c a t io n s , I n c . , 1956), p. 2 6 8 .

Page 6: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

F i g u r e 1. V o y a g e

Page 7: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

3

th a t H e r b e r t R e a d c a l l s a "w ill to f o r m : "

T he w ho le ‘d r i v e 1 in an y p u r p o s iv e w i l l to fo r m ( the only r a t i o n a l e x p la n a t io n of a r t i s t i c d e v e lo p m e n t) i s to w a rd s an e q u i l ib r iu m of in n e r fe e l in g and th e o u te r w o r ld of e x p e r i ­en ce , an d th e w ork , of a r t fu n c t io n s a s the r e a l i z a t i o n of su ch an equ ilib r ium ;, ^

I b e c o m e a s a b s o r b e d in th e s p a c e - f o r m r e l a t i o n s h ip s of a

te a p o t o r co o k ie j a r a s in th o s e of an a b s t r a c t s c u lp tu r e , s in c e I b e l ie v e

th a t a l l can e x i s t on a d e e p e r le v e h H e n ry M o o re h a s w r i t t e n :

F o r m e a w o r k m u s t f i r s t h a v e a v i t a l i t y of i t s own* . I do n o t m e a n a r e f l e c t i o n of th e v i t a l i ty of life , of m o v e m e n t , p h y s ic a l a c t io n , f r i s k in g , dan c in g f ig u r e s and so on, but th a t a w o rk c an h a v e in i t a p e n t - u p e n e rg y , an in te n s e life of i t s own, in d e p e n d e n t of th e o b je c t i t m a y r e p r e s e n t , ^

By " o b je c t" I a m s u r e th a t M r , M o o re d id n o t h a v e in m in d a te a p o t o r

co o k ie j a r , but i f th is u n d e r ly in g s p i r i t c a n c o m e th ro u g h h u m a n f o r m ,

o r r e p r e s e n t a t i o n a l a r t of an y .kind, I f a i l to s e e why i t c an n o t co m e

th ro u g h in s o m e th in g fu n c t io n a l , I f e e l th a t th e cook ie j a r (F ig , . 2 )

e x i s t s a s a s c u lp t u r a l f o r m in to w h ic h I h av e i n c o r p o r a t e d fu n c tio n .

T h e re fo re , , I c an f in d no r e a s o n to d i s t in g u is h b e tw ee n c r a f t s a n d f in e

a r t s , ■ " , C e r a m i c s i s not a l i e n to p a in t in g o r s c u lp t u r e . A ll the

v a r io u s a r t f o r m s , v e r b a l an d a u r a l a s w e ll a s v i s u a l a n d p la s t i c , , a r e

i n t e r r e l a t e d , W h e re I w ou ld p r e f e r to p la c e e m p h a s i s i s in w h e th e r .

^ H e r b e r t R ead , A C o n c ise H i s to r y of M o d e rn S c u lp tu r e (New Y ork : F r e d e r i c k .A , P r a e g e r , P u b l i s h e r s , 1964), p, 54,

3 Ib id „ , p . 37,

^ G ien n C, N e lso n , C e r a m i c s (New Y o rk : Holt, R in e h a r t a n d W inston , I n c , , I960), p , 67.

Page 8: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

F i g u r e 2. C o o k i e J a r

F i g u r e 3. W eed P o t

Page 9: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

o r no t a g iv en f o r m e x p r e s s e s w h a t M o o re c a l l s the " in te n s e l i fe of i t s

own. " P e r h a p s I sh o u ld s ta t e i t th is w ay: A ny g iv en p ie c e can e x i s t on

m o r e th a n one le v e l of p e r c e p t io n , a n d a good p ie c e e x i s t s on s e v e r a l

le v e l s w h e th e r o r not u s e i s i n c o r p o r a t e d in to the" d e s ig n -

W ith a w a ll a l l a r o u n d A c la y bow l i s m o u ld ed ;But th e u se of th e bow l W ill d ep en d on th e p a r t Of th e bow l th a t i s vo id . ^

Not only th e u se , but th e s p a t i a l u n ity d e p en d s on th e v o id - -

how one i s m a d e a w a r e o f;the s p a c e engu lf ing o r en g u lfed in th e f o r m .

S p ace and f o r m , p o s i t iv e a n d n e g a t iv e , y in a n d yang, a l l h a v e fo r m e a

s i m i l a r m e a n in g . I am no t a w a r e of s p a c e u n t i l m y eye b u m p s in to a n

o b jec t; th a t i s to say , un ti l a f o r m of s o m e s o r t show s m e th a t th e s p a c e

a ro u n d i t e x i s t s . - A t one e x t r e m e , a m in im u m a m o u n t of f o r m i s u s e d

to e x p lo re a g r e a t a m o u n t of s p a c e , a s in, fo r e x a m p le , P i c a s s o ' s w i r e

c o n s t r u c t io n s of. 1930 .. A t th e o th e r e x t r e m e , f o r m i s e m p h a s iz e d a s a

p o s i t iv e e l e m e n t a s in th e c lo ak ed , b lo c k - f o r m e d E g y p t ia n f ig u r e s th a t

a p p e a r in th e X I D y n as ty . ^ B e tw e e n th e s e t h e r e i s a c o m p le te s p e c t r u m

of t r a n s i t i o n a l f o r m s th a t r a n g e f r o m one e x t r e m e to th e o th e r . . In m y

w ork . V oyage ( F ig u r e 1) b le n d s a l a r g e am o u n t of n e g a t iv e s p a c e in to

5 L ao T zu , T he W ay of L i f e , t r a n s . R. B. B la k n ey (New Y o rk : T h e New A m e r i c a n L i b r a r y , 1955), p. 63.

^ I r m g a r d W o ld e r in g , T he A r t of E gyp t, t r a n s . A nn E . K eep (New Y o rk : G re y s to n e P r e s s , 1963), p . 128.

Page 10: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

p o s i t iv e f o r m , w h e r e a s W eed P o t (Fig.- 3) r e l i e s m o r e on p o s i t iv e f o r m

fo r i t s s c u lp t u r a l s t a t e m e n t .

T he id e a of ju x ta p o s in g s p a c e - f o r m i s not un ique to m e but

h a s b e en u s e d by a r t i s t s of th e p a s t an d p r e s e n t . . My w o r k l i e s , I

b e l ie v e , in th e t r a d i t i o n of H e n ry M o o re , K en n e th A r m i t a g e an d P e t e r

V ou lkos ,. a l l of w hom h av e w o rk e d w ith in te g r a t in g a n d ju x ta p o s in g

s p a c e - f o r m , p o s i t iv e an d n e g a t iv e s p a c e , ro u g h an d s m o o th te x tu re , ,

h a r d a n d so ft e d g e s . It h a s b e en l i t t l e m o r e th a n a d e c a d e s in c e th e

a b s t r a c t s c u lp t u r a l in f lu e n c e s f r o m E u r o p e p e n e t r a t e d in to the c e r a m i c

a r t s of th e U n ited S ta te s . A m ong th e p io n e e r s w e r e E l le n K ey-O b e r g

a n d h e r h u sb an d , Rolf,. D av id W e in r ib and P e t e r V o u lk o s . M r s . K e y -

O b e r g 's e a r l y w o rk s a r e a b s t r a c t s c u lp t u r e s m a d e of h o l lo w e d -o u t c la y

f o r m s , w h ich r e s e m b l e s o m e of th e w o r k s done by M iro a n d A rp . In

•C ra f t H o r iz o n s of F e b r u a r y , 1956, D av id W e in r ib i s c r e d i t e d w ith u s in g

"S lab b u i l t e l e m e n t s in ( c r e a t in g a) new p o t t e r y ( fo rm ) . . . . M any a r e

Om e a n t to be v ie w e d l ik e s c u lp tu r e , f r o m a l l s id e s . " T he a r t i c l e p o in ts

out th a t W e in r ib i s c o n c e r n e d w ith bo th v o lu m e an d o pen s p a c e a n d th a t

th e a p p a r e n t o v e r la p p in g of th e two o b je c t iv e s does no t in th e l e a s t

in v a l id a te th e b a s ic fu n c t io n a l id e a of th e p o t . T he s a m e y e a r P e t e r

T E llen K e y -O b e rg , " C e r a m ic S c u lp tu re , " C ra f t H o r iz o n s ( M a r c h - A p r i l , 1953), V o l.-X II , . No. 2, pp.. 1 6 -1 9 . '

^ C o n ra d B ro w n , " A r c h i t e c to n ic s in C lay , " C r a f t H o r iz o n s ( J a n u a r y - F e b r u a r y , 1956), Vol.. XVI, No. 1, p . 15.

Page 11: Altered and constructed ceramic forms€¦ · feeling for the clay from which they are made. Not even a brief 12 discussion of clay forms could ignore the powerful pottery forms from

V oulkos , p e r h a p s e v en then. A m e r i c a ^ b e s t know n p o tte r^ h e ld h is f i r s t

a b s t r a c t s c u lp tu r e exhibito " T h e r e w e r e m u l t i - f o r m v a s e s fo u r f e e t

h igh in w h ich w h e e l - th r o w n e le m e n t s of v a ry in g s i z e s an d sh ap e h a d

b e e n jo in e d t o g e t h e r - - f o r m s s e t on t h e i r s id e s and t h e i r ends s e a le d

ups f la t d i s k - l i k e e l e m e n ts added* 0 e o S o m e v i s i t o r s saw an in f lu ­

en ce of P ic a s s o o A lso , I th ink , a n in f lu e n c e f r o m J a p a n an d o th e r

p r im i t i v e a r t so u rc e s* T h e s e in f lu e n c e s f r o m th e p a s t c o u ld h av e

c o m e f r o m a n u m b e r of c u l tu r e s w h ich b u il t l a r g e s c u lp t u r a l p i e c e s

f r o m c la y 0 A m o n g th e a m o s t a n c ie n t a r e th e v o tiv e im a g e s of p r e -

10d y n a s t ic E gyp t. T h e H an a n d T an g C h in e se p r o d u c e d m a n y s c u lp t u r a l

o b j e c t s , . the s i z e of w h ic h s e e m e d to d ep en d on th e w e a l th a n d p o s i t io n

of the d e c e a s e d , th a t w e r e b u r i e d w ith th e d e ad fo r t h e i r u s e in the

n e x t w o r ld : to m b d e f e n d e r s to c h a s e aw ay e v i l s p i r i t s , t o w e r e d

11p l e a s u r e p a v i l l io n s , o r s im p le e v e r y d a y o b je c t s . T he J a p a n e s e

H an iw a to m b f ig u r e s w h ich l in e d the b u r i a l a p p r o a c h e x p r e s s r e a l

12fe e l in g f o r th e c la y f r o m w h ic h th e y a r e m a d e . Not ev en a b r i e f

d i s c u s s io n of c la y f o r m s c o u ld ig n o r e the p o w e rfu l p o t t e r y f o r m s f r o m

9 C o n ra d B row n , "V ou lkos E x h ib i ts New S to n e w a re , " C ra f t H o r iz o n s (M a y -Ju n e , 1956), Vol.. XVI,, No. 3, p . 47.

IQ W bldering , op. c i t . , pp. 3 1 -3 3 .

P e t e r C.- Swann, A r t of C hina , K o re a , a n d J a p a n (New Y o rk : F r e d e r i c k A . P r a e g e r , P u b l i s h e r , 1963), pp. 4 0 -4 3 .

12I b i d . , pp. 5 8 -5 9 .

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M ex ico an d Latin. A m e r ic a , , P a r t i c u l a r l y i m p r e s s i v e a r e th e b e a u t i fu l ly -

a b s t r a c t e d f ig u r e s of the M ay an a n d O lm e c - Z a p o te c s ty le s , h a n d -b u i l t

13f o r m s w h ich s e e m to e x p r e s s th e v e r y e s s e n c e of c lay .

I t r y no t to f o r c e o r c o n t r iv e a p ie c e in a d v a n c e , e v en th o u g h I

m a k e p e n c i l s k e tc h e s of sh ap e a n d s p a c e i n t e g r a t i o n , . So th a t th e w o rk

c an p r o c e e d sp o n ta n e o u s ly , I g e n e r a l ly le a v e the s k e tc h e s a t h o m e w hen

going to w o r k a t th e s tu d io .

. A l l p e r f e c t a c c o m p l i s h m e n t in a r t o r l ife i s a c c o m p a n ie d by the c u r io u s se ja sa t io h th a t i t i s h a p p en in g of i t s e l f - - t h a t i t i s no t fo r c e d , s tu d ie d o r c o n t r iv e d . . . . th e s e n s a t io n th a t th e a c t io n i s h a p p en in g of i t s e l f , n e i t f ie r f r o m a n a g e n t n o r to a w i tn e s s . . . . ^

C lay i s , of c o u r s e , th e m a t e r i a l in w h ich I w o rk . It h a s

d e f in i te s t r u c t u r a l l im i t a t i o n s th a t a r e due to i t s la c k of t e n s i l e s t r e n g th

an d f r a g i l i t y d u r in g th e f i r in g p r o c e s s . F o r th is r e a s o n o v e r ly - e x te n d e d

an d u n s u p p o r te d s h a p e s , th in o r w e a k b a s e s and l a r g e o v e rh a n g in g

m a s s e s a r e d if f icu l t to f i r e , a s th e y te n d to d r o o p , . sag , b r e a k a p a r t

o r c r a c k . . In e v i ta b ly d u r in g th e p r o c e s s of b u ild ing a fo r m , t e x tu r e s

su c h a s t o r n ed g es , f i n g e r p r i n t s a n d to o l m a r k s b e c o m e i m p r e s s e d in to

th e c la y s u r f a c e . In th i s w ay th e s u r f a c e n a tu r e of w e t c la y i s n a tu r a l ly

e x p lo i t e d . . F o r m e , th e e a r l y p l a s t i c s t a g e in w h ich m a n y s u r f a c e t e x t u r e s

13E r w in Q. C h r i s t e n s e n , . P r i m i t i v e A r t (New Y o rk : B o n an z a B ooks, 1955), pp. 1 7 5 -1 9 2 .

l^ A la n W. W a tts , P s y c h o th e r a p y E a s t an d W e s t (New Y ork :T he New A m e r i c a n L i b r a r y , 1961), p . 151.

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a n d sp o n ta n e o u s s h a p e s can be d e v e lo p e d m o r e th a n m a k e s up fo r the

s t r u c t u r a l l im i t a t i o n s im p o s e d by th e f i r in g . F u r t h e r m o r e , i t i s a lw a y s

p o s s ib l e to p la n on ad d in g o th e r m a t e r i a l s to the f i r e d p ie c e . V oyage

(F ig .. 1) i n c o r p o r a t e s b r o n z e in to th e d e s ig n and H e a d R e s t (F ig . 4) h a s

a v e lv e t p i l lo w . T he i n t r i n s i c a l l y h u m b le n a tu r e of c l a y - - t h a t of being ,

a f t e r a l l , j u s t d i r t - - i s p e r h a p s i t s g r e a t e s t a d v a n t a g e . . To c r e a t e s o m e ­

th ing of w o r th f r o m s u c h a w o r th l e s s s u b s ta n c e i s , in th e l e a s t , g r a t i f y ­

ing, and, a t b e s t , th e v e r y e p i to m e of c r e a t iv i ty .

. In a c c o r d a n c e w i th t r a d i t io n , c o lo r a s a g la z e h a s a n a tu r a l

an d in t e g r a l p la c e on a c e r a m i c f o r m . C o lo r a d d ed to s p a c e - f o r m

m a n ip u la t io n c a n b e c o m e a n i m p r e s s i v e p r o b le m , one w h ich few

c e r a m i c s c u lp t o r s h a v e r e a l l y ta c k le d . I h a v e t r i e d in a few in s t a n c e s

to c r e a t e a w o rk in w h ich c o lo r a n d f o r m a r e of e q u a l im p o r ta n c e , one

not d o m in a t in g th e o th e r . H o w ev e r , th e c o lo r of th e b o t t le in F ig u r e

5 p la y s the d o m in a n t ro le , w h e r e a s c o lo r in. S tudy N u m b e r 2 (F ig . 6 )

i s s u b o rd in a te to the f o r m . S lab an d W h ee l (F ig . 7) i s p ro b a b ly th e

m o s t s u c c e s s f u l in th is r e g a r d , but th e p r o b le m s t i l l r e m a i n s .

. One of the m o s t sp o n ta n e o u s an d im m e d ia te p o t t e r y p r o c e s s e s

i s R aku . . In th is a n c ie n t J a p a n e s e p r o c e s s , f in g e r an d to o l m a r k s

b e c o m e a r e c o r d of how th e p ie c e w a s m a d e and a l t e r e d . T h e q u a l i ty

of d i r e c t n e s s of h a n d l in g a n d d e c o r a t in g sh o u ld be q u i te e v id e n t in th e

f in a l f o r m . The R a k u p ie c e (F ig . 8 ) w a s f i r e d in a s m a l l f u r n a c e a t

abou t 1800 d e g r e e s . W hen th e l e a d - b a s e g la z e a p p e a r s to b e m e l te d .

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F i g u r e 4. H ead R e s t

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F i g u r e 5. S t o n e w a r e B o t t l e

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F i g u r e 6. S tu d y N u m b e r 2

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F i g u r e 7. S lab a n d W h e e l

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F i g u r e 8 R aku

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th e p ie c e i s r e m o v e d , r e d - h o t , f r o m th e f u r n a c e an d p lu n g e d in to a

b u c k e t fu l l of saw dus t, , l e a v e s o r o th e r c o m b u s t ib le m a t e r i a l , . w h e re i t

i s le f t , c o v e re d , to r e d u c e in the h ig h ly c a r b o n - f i l l e d a tm o s p h e r e f o r

s e v e r a l m in u te s . D u r in g th is t im e g la z e s w h ich c o n ta in i r o n o r c o p p e r

ox ide ch an g e f r o m th e o x id iz e d to th e r e d u c e d s t a t e a n d chan g e

d r a m a t i c a l l y in c o lo r : I r o n c h a n g e s f r o m i t s n a t u r a l ta n o r s t r a w

c o lo r to coo l c o lo r s of g re y , g r e y - g r e e n , o r o l iv e ig g e e n . C o p p er

o x ide c h a n g e s f r o m w a r m s h a d e s of g r e e n to a b r ig h t o r d eep r e d . T he

c o lo r ch an g e i s a r r e s t e d by p lung ing th e s t i l l -7 h o t p ie c e in to c o ld w a te r .

T he w ho le f i r in g t im e f o r s e v e r a l p o ts i s u s u a l ly l e s s th a n a n h o u r .

. A s a t h e s i s s u b je c t I h a v e c h o s e n a l t e r e d and c o n s t r u c t e d f o r m s .

T h e s e f o r m s h a v e b e e n m a d e in a n u m b e r o f w a y s : S lab an d W h ee l w a s

m a d e by co m b in in g w h e e l - th r o w n f o r m s w ith s la b p ie c e s ; S tudy N u m b e r

1 (F ig . 9) w a s m a d e by p la c in g two bow ls lip to lip a n d ad d in g s lab

s t r i p s a n d th ro w n sp o u ts ; H e ad R e s t w a s c o n s t r u c t e d by b e a t in g a

th ro w n c y l in d e r in to a n o v a l sh ap e , cu t t in g h o le s in to w h ich p ie c e s of

s la b c la y w e r e i n s e r t e d and fina lly ,, ad d in g th e p in c h e d an d c o n s t r u c t e d

c e n te r p ie c e . . E x c e p t f o r th e two s m a l l bow ls a t th e top, Study N u m b e r

2 w a s m a d e e n t i r e ly of f o r m e d s la b s (F ig . 5). T he c o o k ie j a r (F ig . 2)

w a s m a d e f r o m a w h e e l - th r o w n c y l in d e r th a t w a s c a p p e d a n d p la c e d on

i t s s id e . W hite in th i s p o s i t io n th e top a n d s id e h a n d le s w e r e a d d ed

a n d th e open ing w a s cu t in to th e new top of the f o r m .

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F i g u r e 9. S tu d y N u m b e r 1

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. S to r e d s o m e w h e r e in a m i s t y p a r t of m y b r a i n i s a n id e a l , a

p e r f e c t un ion of e l e m e n ts th a t w o u ld e x p r e s s a l l m y id e a s a b o u t f o r m ,

s p a c e and c o lo r in one p ie c e . T h is id e a l i s n e v e r a c h ie v e d ; in f a c t i t

s e e m s c o n s ta n t ly to be c h a n g in g .a n d I n e v e r c o m e c lo s e to e x p r e s s in g

i t . It i s no t s im p ly th e b e l ie v in g a n d p r a c t i c i n g of id e a s and th e o r i e s

th a t m a k e a w o r k of a r t . "T h e w a y s of a r t , l ike l ife i t s e l f , a r e , if

no t a c c id e n ta l , a t l e a s t m y s t e r i o u s an d to a n e x te n t b ey o n d ev id en t

h u m a n c o n t ro l . T h e a r t i s t ' s r e s p o n s e and in tu i t io n a b o u t th e m a t e ­

r i a l a n d p ie c e w ith w h ich a n d upon w h ic h h e i s w o rk in g h a v e m u c h m o r e

to do w ith th e s u c c e s s o r f a i l u r e of a n y w o rk . In an y even t, t h e r e a r e

m a n y d iv e rg e n t e l e m e n ts th a t m u s t be d e a l t w ith o r , p e r h a p s , s y n th e s iz e d

in th e f in a l f o r m .

. A ll th in g s b e a r the sh a d e on t h e i r b a ck s ,. A nd th e su n in t h e i r a r m s ;

By a b len d in g of b r e a t hF r o m th e su n a n d th e sh ad e ^E q u i l ib r iu m c o m e s to th e w o r ld .

I S N e l s o n , op. c i t . , p. 68.

l^ T z u , op. c i t . , p. 95 .

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F ig u r e 10. S q u a re C i r c le

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R E F E R E N C E S

B row n , C o n ra d , . " A r c h i te c to n ic s in -C lay , " C r a f t H o r iz o n s ,- XVI (Jan . - F e b . , 1956), 15.

______ o . "V ou ikos E x h ib i ts New S to n e w a re , " C r a f t H o r iz o n s , XVI- (M a y -Ju n e , 1956), 47=

C h r i s te n s e n , . E r w in O. P r i m i t i v e A r t . New Y o rk : B o n a n z a B ooks, 1955.

K e y -O b e r g , E l le n . " C e r a m ic S c u lp tu re , " C r a f t H o r iz o n s ,(X III ( M a r . - A p r . , 1953), 1 6 -1 9 .

N elson ,. G lenn C. C e r a m i c s . New Y o rk : Holt, R in e h a r t a n d W in s to n I n c . , I960 .

R ead ,. H e r b e r t . A C o n c is e H is to r y of M o d e r n .S c u lp tu re . New Y ork: F r e d e r i c k A. P r a e g e r , P u b l i s h e r s , 1964.

. Sullivan,. L o u is H. T he A u to b io g ra p h y of a n Idea . New Y ork : D o v e r P u b l i c a t io n s , I n c . , 1956.

Swann, P e t e r C. A r t of China,. K o re a , an d Jap a n . . New Y ork : F r e d e r i c k A . P r a e g e r , P u b l i s h e r s , 1963.

Tzu,. L a o . T he W ay of. L ife , t r a n s . . R. B. B lak n ey . New Y o rk : T he New A m e r i c a n L i b r a r y , 1955.

W atts , A la n W. P s y c h o th e r a p y E a s t an d W est . New Y o rk : T h e New A m e r ic a n . L i b r a r y , 1961.

• W o ld e r in g , I r m g a r d . T he A r t of E g y p t, t r a n s . Ann. E . K eep . New Y ork : G re y s to n e P r e s s , 1963.

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